


Ourobouros

by Medie



Series: Cornerstone - girl!Daniel [6]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-19
Updated: 2010-02-19
Packaged: 2017-10-07 09:33:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Medie/pseuds/Medie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>10 years in the future, SG1 discovered their alliance with the Aschen wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Now, they must sacrifice everything to change the past...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ourobouros

**Author's Note:**

> Some of the dialogue comes right out of the episode as the scenes needed to retain the basic shape of the episode. That dialogue I am not claiming to have written. The rest? I am.

"It is a shame that O'Neill could not be here. I had hoped to see him on my visit." Teal'c observed, looking around the party.

"He refused to come." Danielle said by way of explanation. "He refuses to celebrate the anniversary of the alliance. He still believes the Aschen are lying to us. I tried to convince him to come to at least see you all but.." she shook her head."

"I can't blame him." Janet noted with a sigh. "I almost didn't come myself." At the younger woman's surprised look she shrugged a little. "It's different for you, Danielle, your job wasn't made obsolete by the...Mollem!" She quickly bit off whatever it was she was about to say when she saw the Aschen diplomat approaching.

They all fell silent as he greeted them then focused on Joe, Sam's husband, drawing him away from the group. Ever the ambassador, he made his apologies to them and to his wife before letting Mollem draw him away.

When he was gone, Danielle turned her gaze back to Janet, clearly expecting her to continue but the doctor had other plans. "Do you see him often?"

Who the 'him' was, no one had to ask.

A sad expression flitted across the archaeologist's features. "Since the divorce I see him a few times a month. Usually when either I'm picking Zoe up or he is. If it weren't for her?" She smiled wryly. "I wouldn't see him at all."

"How is Zoe handling the divorce?" Sam asked sympathetically.

"She's upset. Understandably so." Danielle absently rubbed her ring finger where her wedding band had so recently been. "Not to mention confused and more than a little angry with us both. She thinks the whole thing is quite ridiculous and is reminding me more and more of Jack with every passing day. I'm starting to wonder if I had any influence on her DNA." She smiled at Teal'c. "Speaking of which, you'll have to drop by to see her. She'll never forgive me if she finds out you were here and she didn't get to see you."

"And where is she today?"

"With Jack. She decided that if he wasn't going to this thing either then she was going to spend the night at the cabin with him." Danielle looked amused. "Had her bag packed and was on the vid to him before I could stop her."

"She always was Daddy's girl," Janet agreed with a laugh.

"Indeed. Zoe O'Neill has always displayed a strong affinity for her father." Teal'c would have said more but a guest approached him and, after the group quickly made plans to meet for dinner, drew him aside to speak with him leaving the women alone.

"Sam, I've been meaning to ask--how are you and Joe?" Danielle looked apologetic. "With the Jack moving out and the divorce...I'm afraid a few things got lost in the shuffle."

"It's okay, Danielle, I know how hard everything's been for you lately. We understood." Sam smiled a little. "Joe's great. We're doing great."

"Are you by any chance...?"

Janet's gentle probe was met with a negative shake of the taller woman's head. "No. The Aschen say it isn't either one of us. They're adamant that we're fine. They say we just have to keep trying."

"And nothing else?" Danielle's brow furrowed. "After three years of trying all they can tell you is keep trying? No hormones or therapies? Just...that?"

Looking similarly skeptical, Janet spoke up. "You know, Sam, I know my methods may seem prehistoric compared to the Aschen but I do still keep an office and I was your doctor for a very long time, there may be something I can find that they missed." She put her champagne down and waited for the other woman's answer.

"It couldn't hurt, Sam." Danielle put in with a nod. "A second opinion could only help, right?"

Sam looked from one friend to the other. "Right."

-

"Zoe! Will you quit hangin' off the dock! One of these days you're gonna fall in and drown and your Mom'll kill me!" Reaching out with one hand, Jack O'Neill grabbed his daughter's waistband and tugged her back.

Zoe O'Neill turned to peer at her father through a dishevelled mop of brown ringlets, green eyes watching him with amusement. "Na uh. Mom wouldn't kill you. She loves you too much."

His daughter's matter-of-fact pronouncement promptly put the conversation in dangerous territory as far as Jack was concerned and he frowned. "Put some sunscreen on, Zoe, you're starting to burn."

"Am not." She protested, wrinkling her freckled nose at him.

"Are too." he countered. "Now do it."

Zoe rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. "Okayyyy..." Keds slapping against the dock, she went to pick it up. Generously rubbing it on, she gave her father a knowing look that was far too much like Danielle for Jack's comfort."Nice try, Dad." Walking over, she rubbed some of the white cream on his nose, grinning at the result.

Reeling the line in for another cast, Jack grunted.

"Relax Dad. I know you're tryin' to distract me cause you're afraid I'm gonna start bugging you to get back together with Mom."

Damn but the kid was perceptive. "Am not."

"Oh yeah you are." Plopping down next to him, she opened a soda. "Don't worry. I won't."

"No?"

"Nope." Kicking her feet against the dock, she watched a hawk fly over the pond. "Don't need to."

"Oh really. Why not?"

"Cause you'll get back together anyway." Zoe looked smug. "Everybody says you can't live without-- _MOM_!" In a flash, the little girl was on her feet and running back up the bank to meet Danielle who was on her way down.

Reeling in his line, Jack got up and followed at a more leisurely pace. He watched his ex-wife's approach with appraising eyes. The attractive suit she'd been wearing the day before had been replaced by jeans and a tank top with one of his old shirts topping it.

God, she was gorgeous.

His throat ached as he watched Danielle sweep a giggling Zoe into her arms, swinging her around, laughing.

"How was the party, Mom?" their daughter was asking as he drew close enough to hear the conversation.

Danielle made a face. "Boring. Full of politicians." Jack sympathized with the expression. Didn't miss that part.

"Ugh," Arms wrapped securely about her mother's neck, her body supported by Danielle's arms, Zoe turned to look at her father. "Sounds like you woulda hated it Dad."

"Oh, yes, he would have," Danielle agreed solemnly. Her eyes flicked to Jack. "President Kinsey gave a speech."

He grimaced even as Zoe said, "Oh yeah, you'd've hated it."

"Definitely," Jack said. "I'd say we had a much better time than your Mom did."

Zoe beamed at him. "Yeah, we did. You should have skipped the party and come with us, Mom. Dad made s'mores and we had a fire and he's getting a dog!"

"He is?" Danielle raised a brow. "Really?"

"We're in talks, Jack said. "Lots of pros and cons to consider."

"It's gonna be a beagle and I'm gonna name him Fred."

Jack saw the smirk Danielle was unsuccessfully trying to hide. "Say, kiddo, better go get your stuff. Your Mom's probably in a hurry."

"Well, not really but if we do go now, we can catch Teal'c before he goes back to Chulak." Danielle set her daughter down and smiled at her. "He wanted to see you before he left."

Zoe's eyes went wide with excitement. "COOL! Be right back!"

Watching their little girl race off, Danielle didn't notice Jack's eyes on her face.

"What is it?"

His soft question startled her and she jumped, turning to look at him. "What?"

"Something's wrong, Danielle. You haven't looked this upset since the day you found out about Hammond."

She closed her eyes and released a breath she probably hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Funny you should mention the General." Drawing him away from the cabin, she kept an eye out for their daughter. "I spent some time with Janet and Sam yesterday. We got to talking about how Sam and Joe have been trying to have a child. Sam said the Aschen doctors had assured them they were fine but... Janet gave Sam an examination." Danielle bit her lip. "She found extensive and severe damage to her ovaries."

Jack winced." Damn. Carter..."

"Cannot conceive a child. No." Danielle shook her head. "Apparently, neither can I. Though, Zoe's presence would beg to differ with that finding."

"What?" Jack stumbled, staring at her in shock.

"I had a hunch which I initially blamed it as your paranoia rubbing off but, I had Janet give me the same exam. I have similar damage. Damage I didn't have when I conceived and gave birth to Zoe. Jack, this sort of damage doesn't just happen overnight. Something has to cause it."

"The Aschen..." he muttered. "I was --"

"---right." Danielle nodded. "Sam and Janet got into the Aschen's computers. It isn't just me and Sam, Jack. It's almost everyone. The Aschen have somehow managed to sterilize over ninety percent of the world's population. _Ninety percent_, Jack and we had no idea." She looked sick at the thought. "It's only a matter of time before the Aschen reach the other ten percent and then," she closed her eyes. "My God, Jack. What have we done?"

"We?" he echoed. "Who's this 'we' you speak of? If you recall, I was against the alliance to begin with."

Irritated at the old argument resurfacing, she opened her eyes to glare at him. "How could I forget, Jack? The Aschen were one of those irreconcilable differences if _you_ recall."

"Believe me, Danielle, every single detail of our marriage is permanently etched into my mind," Jack said. "That includes the ending."

She stared at him silently for a long moment, caught by the look in his eyes, then shook herself free, pointing a finger at him. "Don't you dare do that to me, Jack O'Neill, don't you dare! I've finally managed to get some perspective on our marriage and I am _not_ going to let you cloud that again."

"I'm not clouding anything, Danielle."

"Oh yes you are!" she said, almost snapping. "Stop looking at me with that look in your eyes!" She looked away, pushing her hair back from her face. When she'd shored up her resolve, she looked at him again, sounding as close to conversational as she could. "Sam thinks we can undo the alliance. Use the Gate to send a message to ourselves in the past, warning them about the Aschen."

"Oh for cryin' out loud, Danielle! You can't be serious!!!"

"I am. Perfectly serious." Turning, she watched their daughter lugging her overnight bag out of the cabin. "When I think of the world Zoe's going to grow up in, a world I helped create, and I realize that there's a way I can change it -- " she looked defiantly at him. "Sam's pretty sure she can use the Aschen's systems to predict a flare. All we need is to get our hands on a GDO and dial the Gate out within the right time frame."

"Simple as that, huh?"

"Whatever it is, it's nothing close to simple." Danielle's gaze returned to watching Zoe.

"Okay...so let's say this absolutely insane plan of Carter's works. We never go to P4C 970 and we don't meet the Aschen. Then what? Everything's different. What about Zoe? What about..."

"Us?" Danielle shook her head. "I don't know. We fell in love once -- who knows? Without the Aschen and everything...maybe we'll get it right the second time around."

"And maybe we don't. Maybe Zoe's never born. Are you prepared to give her up?"

"No," Danielle said, hoarse, "but, my god, Jack, are you prepared for her reaction if we don't _try_? She'll hate us both."

"I did try! I threw up the red flag! I tried and everyone - including you I might add - shut me down!" Jack shot back. "I am not going to bet my kid's life on some half-assed guilt trip!"

"That's exactly what you are doing, Jack, you're betting her life!" Danielle started up the embankment. "We're doing this, Jack. Help. Don't help. I don't care. But we are doing this."

"Yeah, well, let me know how it turns out," he said in a mutter, bypassing her and walking to hug Zoe. "I'll see you next time, ok, kiddo?"

Hugging him back, she nodded against his shoulder. "See you next time." Seeing her mother's strained features over his shoulder, she pulled back and looked suspiciously at him. "Did you and Mom have another fight?"

"Naw, your mom's just had a rough couple of days is all."

"I'm all right, Zoe." Danielle assured with a smile. "I'll be along in a minute. Your Dad and I just have a few things to finish up with."

Despite still being suspicious, the little girl nodded and continued on down the path.

"Our chances would be a lot better with you, Jack."

He turned to look at her, resigned. "Then you'd better hope they're good enough without me."

She lowered her gaze momentarily, shaking her head, then stepped up to kiss him slowly. His arms went about her automatically, pulling her flush against him, and the kiss deepened, leaving them both reluctant to end it.

When she finally did pull away, it was with a look of infinite sadness as she murmured, "Good bye, Jack." and walked away.

-

"Teal'c!" With an excited squeak, Zoe threw herself down off the transporter platform and into the waiting Jaffa's embrace.

"It is most gratifying to see you again, Zoe O'Neill." He informed her gravely. "You have grown."

"Uh huh, and look! My tooth grew back! See?!" Opening her mouth, she proudly displayed the newest addition before hugging him tightly. "I missed you."

"And I you." Seeing the expression on Danielle's face, Teal'c turned to walk a few steps away with his charge saying, "You must tell me how your schooling is progressing," as they went.

Zoe safely out of earshot, Danielle stepped down as well. "He's not coming."

Sam closed her eyes in disbelief. "You're kidding me. Okay, okay, so what about the GDOs?"

"There's one on display at the SGC according to the museum's records. Most of the others were destroyed."

"Then we know what our next stop is."

Danielle nodded. "I thought you'd say that." She walked to where Teal'c was talking to Zoe. "Come on, hon, time for Teal'c to go back to Chulak." Resting her hands on her daughter's shoulders, she met her friend's eyes. "We'll contact you in a couple of days when its time."

He inclined his head. "I will be prepared."

As they watched the Jaffa walk toward the Stargate terminal, Zoe looked up at her mother. "Mom..."

"Hmm?"

"What are you guys up to?"

"I'll tell you when you're older."

"Oh yeah, sure you will...Rightttt...."

Danielle closed her eyes. If there was ever any inkling of doubt about her daughter's parentage...

"Come on honey, Aunt Sam's waiting."

"Where are we going?"

Danielle and Sam shared a conspiratorial look. "We're going to do a little reminiscing." Sam explained as they stepped up onto the platform. "It'll be fun. I promise."

"That's what you _always_ say..."

"And when am I wrong?"

Zoe looked up at her favorite 'aunt'. "You sure you want me to answer that Aunt Sam?"

"Oh yeah." Sam grinned at her friend. "So Jack O'Neill's daughter."

Danielle smirked. "Was there ever any doubt?"

"No, not really."

-

When Zoe saw their destination, she promptly grinned. "All right! Cheyenne Mountain, cool Mom!!"

"Yeah, very cool." Danielle agreed, slipping on a pair of sunglasses and adjusting her long coat. After seeing Teal'c off to Chulak, they'd dropped by the house to give them a chance to change into something a little more inconspicious. It wasn't exactly going to be easy for two members of the most famous of the SG team to slip into the former Stargate Command unnoticed but they were going to give it their best shot. "Okay, remember Zoe, we can't mention anything about me or Aunt Sam being SG1 members. We don't want people to notice, okay?"

"I know, I know." She responded, aggravated, her very Jack-like reaction earning an amused grin from the two women. "Cause you're up to something that I'm not allowed to know about and it involves the SGC so we need to be covert and stuff, right, yeah. Got it."

"Okay. Let's go then." Danielle agreed, taking her daughter's hand and starting toward the next tour group.

Falling into step with her old friend, Sam leaned over to murmur. "If she were a boy..."

"I'd think she was a clone." The other woman whispered back.

"Whispering's telling lies!" Zoe proclaimed, looking up at them suspiciously.

They looked back innocently. "Nah uh," Sam said, shaking her head.

"Uh huh. Dad said so."

"And if Jack O'Neill says it," Danielle, laughing, left that unfinished.

Or, tried, Sam quite happily picked it up, saying, "It must be so."

"Shhh," Zoe hissed, holding a finger to her lips, "the tour lady's getting mad."

Doing their best to look contrite, the two women let their conversation lapse as they followed the group along.

Mollified, the perky young woman led them to the elevators. "Right this way, ladies and gentlemen, our adventure awaits!" The brightly spoken words began a monologue which didn't end even after they emerged from the elevator onto Level 28. Turning to face her charges, she clasped her hands together. "All righty then, please step all the way out and you'll find yourself on Level 28. Can anyone tell me what special room is on this floor?"

Zoe knew this one hands down. She'd been here tons so she stuck up her hand. "The Gate Room!"

With a patronizing smile, the girl leaned forward. "That's...very, very close! Anyone else?"

Sharing a confused glance with Sam, Danielle turned to the tour guide. "She's right. It's the Gate Room."

Delivering another version of the patronizing smile, the tour guide shook her head. "What I'm sure many of you don't know is that officially it was known as the Embarkation Room because that's where the SG teams 'embarked' from! Okay, now we're walking," She turned a corner, gesturing for the group to follow her. "This way please."

"Embarkation room?" Zoe whispered, looking up at her mother. "Mom? She's cracked."

Danielle and Sam grinned back.

"Just a little." Sam murmured..

Stopping the group before a large picture of SG1, the tour guide turned to them again. "Here we have a photograph of the famous SG-1. They were arguably the most important - although not my personal favorite - team of the entire command. These two," she pointed to Danielle and Jack, "Colonel Jack O'Neill and his wife, Dr. Danielle Jackson-O'Neill are the two original members of the team. They both took part in the very first Stargate mission which took them to Abydos where they liberated the inhabitants from the Goa'uld System Lord, Ra. You might say they were part of the very birth of the world we now live in."

"Don't rub it in." Danielle muttered, adjusting her sunglasses.

Sam gave her a sympathetic look as the tour guide perkily announced, "And we're walking!" before leading them down the corridor again.

-

Entering the Gate Room, they found themselves among more people milling about, taking photographs and talking. Stopping before the Embarkation Ramp, the tour guide began her final speech. "While, of course, the real Stargate is in Washington at the J.R. Reed Space Terminal, this one is a perfect replica of the original. Should you want photos, they are twenty-seven dollars and please, do not touch the Stargate itself as you'll leave fingerprints. See you on the other side!" With a snappy salute she left the group.

Sam and Danielle, with Zoe in hand, started up the ramp. "This is ridiculous." Danielle muttered to Sam, ignoring her daughter's sudden sharp tug of her hand.

"Mom."

"Just a second honey," she answered distracted by Sam's reply.

"We couldn't break away before now. Not enough people. Once we're in the control room..."

"Not her personal favorite SG team? I think I've been insulted and that stuff about me and Jack!" Danielle shook her head. "I'm tempted to complain."

"MOM!" Planting her feet, Zoe pulled hard on her mother's hand.

"What Zoe?" Danielle hissed, exasperated. "I'm -- "

"Look!" Zoe pointed toward the Gate. Or, more accurately, the man standing beside it. "Dad!"

Looking up in shock, Danielle came face to face with her ex-husband as he walked down the ramp with a faint grin on his face. As he passed by, he slid on his sunglasses. "And we're walking..."

-

"DAD!" Running into the briefing room to find her father sitting at the conference table, drawing on the sheet that covered it, she promptly clambered up into his lap, hugging him. "What're you doing here?"

"Oh, your Mom invited me but I didn't think I could come," he said with a grin, bouncing her on his lap a little. "But, turns out I could."

Entering the room at a more sedate pace, Danielle looked wary. "Change of plans?"

"Something like that." Fishing some money out of his pocket, Jack handed it to his daughter. "Hey, kiddo, know where the snack machines are?"

"Uh huh. That annoying lady showed us."

Jack grinned. "Yeah, well, mind going and getting a soda for me and whatever you want?"

"Sure Dad!" Money clutched in her fist, the little girl raced out of the room at the same speed she'd entered.

Sighing wearily, Danielle dropped into a chair and met her ex-husband's gaze. "So, why did you really change your mind?"

"I kind of like the sound of Grandpa Jack, ok?" he answered with a shrug as Sam sat down as well. "Zoe left one of her dolls at the cabin, the baby one. Kinda got to me." Getting down to business, he nodded at the Zats lying on the table beside him. "Did a little souvenir shopping. The Zats are fully operational but we do have a problem." He slid the GDO he'd stolen across the table to Sam. "See what I mean?"

She picked it up and her face fell. "It's a replica." Handing it to Danielle, she looked worried. "Was this the only one, Danielle?"

"Umm.."

"Excuse me," a familiar voice interrupted their conversation and they looked to see one of the former SGC Techs, Walter Harriman, standing in the doorway. Stepping over the rope that blocked it off, he continued to speak. "You people aren't supposed to be..." Jack stood, giving the former technician a good look at his face and Harriman stopped in his tracks. "Colonel O'Neill?"

"Sergeant." Jack responded, looking perplexed. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh! Um, well I work here now. Sort of a, er, operations tech advisor."

Surprised, Danielle smiled at him. "Oh? Really? Well, you're doing a great job. That tour guide - now she's a disaster."

"I know what you mean," he said. "Heard that 'favorite team speech' huh?"

She exhaled. "Yeah."

"Um, this section is closed off." Harriman turned his gaze back to the waiting O'Neill. "Are you here for old time's sake or - "

"Yeah, that's it exactly. Just felt like droppin' by you know?" Jack shifted a little, trying to block Harriman's view of the table but didn't quite succeed as he spotted the Zats lying on it.

"Where did you get those?"

Jack looked back, following his line of sight, "What? Those? Armory. We're taking them."

Shaking his head firmly, the other man protested. "Oh, no, no, no. You can't."

"Sergeant," Jack cut him off. "Please. You have no idea how important this is. Listen, do you know where the real GDO went?"

"Look, I'm not a sergeant anymore and you," he looked from Jack to Sam and back, "are not colonels, and you're not supposed to have that remote either..."

"Oh that's good." Danielle interjected. "Cause this one's a fake and we want the real one. Mind telling us where it is?"

"The White House. In the Oval Office. On the President's desk."

"Kinsey grabbed a souvenir on the way down huh?" Jack said sarcastically, sharing an aggravated look with Danielle.

"Look, guys, I don't know what's going on here but..."

"But nothing ah, um, " Jack surreptitiously saw Danielle mouth Harriman's first name 'Walter' out of the corner of his eye and continued to speak. "Walter, right now, I need you to trust us. Just turn around and pretend we were never here. You never saw us. We were never here. I promise, anything we take I'll return myself, on Thursday."

"And then you'll tell me what's going on?" the other man asked warily.

"Absolutely everything. Scouts honor."

He looked at them for a long moment and then sighed heavily. "Okay."

"Thank you," they all chimed as he started back out the door.

"Thursday!" he reminded before leaving.

With a sigh of his own, Jack sat again. "Okay, last time I was in the Oval office, I kind of got kicked out."

"Can't imagine why," Danielle said, visibly amused. "I mean, you only called the President an ass."

"He is and I'm retired. I'm allowed to call him that," Jack said, raising a hand.

"Mmhmm..." Danielle agreed, her amusement growing.

"Anyway," he stressed, ending the teasing. "No chance I'll get back in there to get it. Can we do this without a GDO?"

"Umm, radio?"

Sam shook her head at Danielle's suggestion. "There's an EM dampening field around the terminal. Part of the automated defense system."

"So, this is about as far back in time as we can go." Jack looked meaningfully at the darkened room they were in.

"No. I think we can get it," Sam said.

Danielle lifted a brow at her. "Joe?"

"He'll get it," Sam said. "We can trust him."

"You tell him this," Jack interjected in warning, "there's no going back."

"He'll do it," Sam said, standing firm. "I know he will."

-

"You're staying, Dad?" Surprised excitement filled Zoe's eyes once it became clear Jack was coming home with them.

"For a little while. Your Mom and I have some stuff we need to talk about." Jack hedged, noticing Danielle's stubborn refusal to meet his eyes. "You go on to bed, okay? I'll be up in a minute. Read you that book you love."

Almost bouncing in her excitement, she hugged both parents tightly and raced up the stairs of the house, heading right for her bedroom.

"That's the first time she hasn't fought going to bed since you left." Danielle noted quietly, closing the front door and arming the security system.

Jack stood in the hall, watching her move about the main room, turning on a light, checking the computer, feeding the fish. "Danielle."

"Don't, Jack," she stopped, resting her hands on the tank. "I'm not going to pretend the last year didn't happen."

"Danielle," Moving closer, he reached out to hesitantly touch her shoulders. She went stiff but didn't protest the action. Emboldened, he stepped closer, sliding his hands down her arms. "If we're lucky, it won't have. Along with a few of it's buddies I could stand to forget."

"Jack, this isn't funny."

"No. No, it's not," he said, feeling her relax back against him. "We both made a lot of mistakes, Danielle and we're both paying for them."

"Jack..."

"I miss you," he murmured, lowering his face to inhale the scent of her hair. "Haven't felt right since I moved out."

She sighed, closing her eyes, tears threatening in her eyes. "Jack..."

"Shh.." he whispered, turning her in his embrace, resting a fingertip beneath her chin, he guided it up, lowering his lips to hers. Her body trembled faintly with the effort to resist but Jack was insistent. Knowing her body as well as he knew his own, he deepened the kiss, his hands moving over her, until she gave in and pressed close, eliciting soft noises of pleasure from her .

When they parted, he cupped her face in his hands. "I'm sorry."

As he rested his forehead against hers, thumbs brushing her cheeks, she quietly murmured, "Me too." She kissed him again, a feather soft brush of lips on lips, and then pulled away, starting for the door.

Jack hesitated, watching her, until Danielle turned back, looking at him from the doorway. When she silently held out one hand, he moved to take it, lacing his fingers with hers and allowing himself to be led up the stairs to their bedroom.

-

The next morning, when Zoe walked into the kitchen to find her Mom making breakfast wearing the shirt her Dad had been wearing last night, she tried very hard to hide her smug grin. The knowing look her mother gave her when she set the French Toast down before her daughter said she'd been quite unsuccessful so she gave up all attempts at hiding it just in time for her Dad to walk into the room.

"Not one word," he said, ointing a finger at her.

Zoe smiled benignly and reached for her milk.

"Eat up." Danielle instructed, passing a cup of coffee to Jack and receiving a kiss in thanks. "Or you'll be late for school."

The familiar argument from her daughter didn't come. Instead, she quickly ate and scrambled off the chair, putting the dishes in the dishwasher without any mention of it from either parent. "Mom? Where's my homework?"

"Front hall on the table." Danielle responded, torn between aggravation and bewilderment at the ordinarily irrepressible child's model behaviour. "I'll get it for you."

"S'ok! I got it." Zoe looked up at the clock and looked horrified. "I'm gonna miss the bus!" Hugging both parents she raced down from the kitchen at breakneck speed only to reappear in the doorway a minute later. "See you later, Dad?"

The earnest look in her eyes had both adults swallowing hard.

"Sure, kiddo." Jack promised. "I'll pick you up from school, ok?"

She beamed at him. "Ok!"

When the door slammed behind her, Danielle sagged back against the counter. "Who was that pod person?"

Jack chuckled a little. "I take it she hasn't..."

"Been that easy to get out the door in the mornings in months." She shook her head. "There have been mornings I've practically had to drag her out of here." She reached for Jack's coffee, taking a sip of it. "I almost feel guilty about what we're doing."

He reached out, pulling her into his arms. "Well, if this works, she'll be coming home to a completely different reality. One with no Aschen and..."

"Parents who never made the worst mistake of their life by splitting up?" Danielle tucked her head beneath his chin, resting against him. "Oh god I hope so."

-

Jack was sitting at the kitchen table when Danielle led Janet into the room. The doctor didn't miss the light brush of Danielle's hand along his shoulders as she moved to sit down.

"Heya Janet," he said, taking a sip from his coffee cup.

"Sir."

"Jack," he said. "Retired, remember? We can officially lose the sir now."

"Okay. Jack." Janet smiled, then looked at Danielle who was pushing a folded piece of paper across the table.

"Jack and I spent the morning coming up with what to say and this what we decided on."

O'Neill feigned a pout. "She won't let me put in who wins the Super Bowl in 2004."

"Absolutely not." Danielle rolled her eyes.

"Aw come on, what about the World Series?" Clearly amused by her aggravated look, he tried again. "Grey Cup maybe? Come on, Danny, we'd be rich."

She laughed at him then reached back to undo the clasp of the locket she wore. "I thought about including more information than that but I think in this case, simpler the better." Opening the locket, she handed that to Janet as well.

The doctor smiled when she saw the pictures inside. One she herself had taken of the couple with their newly born daughter and the other she recognized as an engagement photo. "And this?"

"Added proof." Danielle explained. "Both Jack and I will recognize the locket on sight. It belonged to my mother. I never wore it in the SGC, I was afraid I'd lose it on a mission but when my past self sees it and the pictures inside -- "

"-- she'll know it's from the future," Jack finished.

"Precisely," she said. "At that point in time, almost no one knew how I felt about Jack but, " A faint smile played about her lips, "I was aware of it so, I'll know."

Resting one of his hands on hers, her ex met his old friend's gaze. "I think we should all write a note of our own, just in case I don't make it to the Gate, you all can keep trying, but make sure that locket gets through." His gaze moved to Danielle's face. "Whatever else happens."

-

Sam was waiting in her lab, a model of the sun displayed on the Aschen console before her, when Danielle and Janet walked in. She looked back to greet them with a tired smile.

"Forgive me for saying," Danielle began as diplomatically as possible, "but you look terrible."

"Rough night," Sam said with a sigh. "Joe, we spent most of it talking. It wasn't exactly fun and games."

"Did he agree to do it?"

She nodded. "He went to the White House this morning. Where's Jack?"

"On his way. Zoe forgot her lunch when she went to school, he was dropping it off." Danielle walked up to the model, circling it with interest.

"Jack was -- " Sam shot a curious look at Janet who nodded confirmation.

Not missing the look, Danielle rolled her eyes. "Quit it you two."

"What?" the women chorused innocently.

"My marriage is not for public discussion."

Her choice of wording got another grin and she threw up her hands. "Oh forget it."

"Hot in here ladies?" Jack asked, wandering into the room.

"You have no idea." Danielle muttered as she joined him by the door.

Hiding her amusement, Sam gestured at the model. "This is a real time representation of the actual sun as observed by Aschen satellites all over the solar system."

"How do we use this to predict a flare?" Janet asked with interest, watching the ever changing surface of the sun.

"I've been studying the Aschen knowledge of solar dynamics for the Jupiter ignition project and there are significant changes just beneath the surface of the sun preceding a flare that are detectable by the satellite net." She highlighted a section of the sun, nodding at it. "Look there. If my calculations are right, there should be a flare in about five seconds."

They all watched with interest until, as predicted, a flare appeared in that very place then all nodded in satisfaction.

"That's it then." Danielle exhaled. "We can do it."

"We can. Now, all we need is to wait until the computer can predict another flare." She looked over at the woman standing next to her. "Do you have your travel papers for Chulak, Janet?"

"Mmhm..I'm all set."

"Good." Sam handed her a note. "Give that to Teal'c. It's the coordinates he'll need."

Janet slipped the paper into her pocket as Jack's attention was drawn to the doorway. "Joe's here."

The first thing Joe saw when he entered the room was Jack and Danielle standing next to the door. His expression was less than amused at the sight of O'Neill and Jack seemed no less happy to see him. "Ambassador."

"I knew you'd have something to do with this," Joe said, annoyance laced through every word.

"Naturally." Danielle interjected, her warning tone surprising him. "We couldn't exactly pull this off without him now could we?"

Jack reached out, sliding an arm around her waist and drawing her close. The gesture was not lost on Joe who seemed to relax ever so slightly. "Did you get it?"

The ambassador nodded. "Yes."

Sam smiled at him. "Thank you."

He returned the smile then looked back to the man before him. "What are you going to do with it?"

"Send a message., Jack said.

"To who?"

"_Whom_ actually," Jack corrected. He held out a hand. "Now, let's have it."

"It's not here." Joe glanced at Sam briefly before continuing. "I'll hand it over if you give me your word that Samantha will play no part in this."

Danielle and Sam looked equally shocked but it was Sam that took a step forward even as Jack answered, "I can't do that."

"The GDO is in a briefcase at the custom's office at the Stargate Terminal. They'll only hand it over to you if I authorize it. I won't do that until you give me your word."

"We need her to pull this off."

"You're going to have to do this without Sam. No arguments."

"Joe!" Sam stepped forward, her eyes angry. "You can't..."

"This is not negotiable Sam! You don't want to tell me what you're planning, fine. But if this involves GDOs then it involves the Stargate and that terminal is the last heavily defended place on the planet. I am not going to let you risk my wife's life to pull this off."

The implication in the ambassador's voice was loud and clear and Danielle spoke this time. "Watch it, Joe. We've been friends a long time but you're treading on very thin ice with that statement. I'm doing this because I understand the stakes. There's no way in hell Jack could stop me if he tried and he knows me well enough not to. I think you'll find the same with Sam and, quite frankly, you should know better yourself – "

"Okay." Jack cut off her angry response, surprising them all.

"Sir!" Sam protested, lapsing back. "You won't have back up!"

"We won't need it." Jack assured calmly.

"Uhh..." Danielle pointed in the direction of the monitor. "Sam, the sun's beeping."

"A flare prediction." Sam turned and hurried back to the computer. "Fifty seven minutes from now." She looked back at them, concerned. "Is that enough time?"

Jack looked down at his wife's face and then back at his old friend's. "It'll have to do now, won't it?"

-

"Janet." Danielle's tentative voice stopped the doctor from entering the terminal and she looked back to see the archaeologist approaching. "Mind if I speak to you for a minute?"

"Of course," Seeing the apprehensive look on her old friend's face, Janet reached out with a concerned hand. "What is it?"

"If this doesn't work -- " Danielle quickly held up a hand to forestall the protest already springing to the other woman's lips. "If this doesn't work, and Jack and I are killed...I know it's a lot to ask of you, but Zoe loves you and Cassie --"

Janet smiled, eyes shining with tears, and hugged Danielle. "I would be honored to raise her." She stepped back. "But, that's not going to be an issue because this is going to work and you and Jack are going to be fine. Got it?"

Fighting her own tears, Danielle nodded. "Got it."

"Oh great," Janet joked, catching sight of their reflections. "Now we're both teary and our make up is ruined. The security is going to know something's up for sure. Better get cleaned up before we reach the Gate."

"No kidding. How embarrassing would it be to fail to save the world because our make up is smudged? Zoe would never let me hear the end of it."

"Oh I know what you mean," Janet chuckled, holding the door open for her friend. "Speaking of, just wait. You think Zoe's irrepressible now? Wait for puberty. I never thought I'd make it through Cassie's, the boys alone --"

"Don't even _think_ of mentioning that to Jack!" Danielle warned as they walked inside. "He's already mentioned keeping one of the Zats for just such a problem..."

-

Walking through the terminal, Danielle's gaze wandered the terminal with seeming disinterest. Anyone who happened to take notice of her would have seen nothing more than an attractive, well-dressed woman casually scanning the crowds of people as she waited to either leave or to greet a new arrival. None of them would have ever guessed that in actuality she was watching for signs of the Aschen's knowledge of their plans not to mention the face of her own ex-husband. When she saw Jack, she'd know if Joe had kept to his word and given them the G.D.O and she wouldn't stop worrying until she knew.

"Danielle." Jack's softly pitched voice reached her through the bustle of the crowd and she looked over her shoulder to find him standing behind a pillar.

Casually, she drifted in that direction, following him into a lounge. "Did he--"

Jack held up a small box. "Yeah."

"Good," she sighed, relieved, and watched him open the box to check the GDO, ensuring it was the one they needed. "No going back now."

"Second thoughts?" he asked, looking up.

"Just nerves," Danielle reassured, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture. "We haven't done anything like this in a while. I'm out of practice."

"Bah, like falling off a log."

She laughed. "Only you would say that about this."

"S'why you love me," Jack said, flippant.

"No, that's only one of many reasons," she said, smiling at him. The moment stretched out, then she shook her head. "This is so typical of us, isn't it? It takes the potential end of the world to straighten us out."

Reaching out, he pulled her into his arms for one last kiss. "Yeah, well, why do anything the easy way? More fun this way."

"Says you," she countered amused.

"Be careful," he cautioned, brushing a thumb along her jawline.

"Jack, if this works, what happens to us in this doesn't matter. It'll all be reset anyway."

"And if it doesn't," Jack's finger repeated the same path, "I don't want to see you get hurt, Danielle."

Hearing the announcement for Chulak, she reached up to touch his face, fingertips tracing his face. "Then I guess I'd better not, hmm?" she kissed him again, "For luck," then left to assume her position.

-

Janet was just going down the escalator toward the embarkation area when Danielle reached the railing in time to wave goodbye. Her old friend smiled and waved in return then walked up the ramp to bring Teal'c the information.

Out of the corner of her eye, Danielle saw Jack move to the railing, watching the Stargate. She flinched when she saw Mollem approach him and silently muttered an oath. This was the last thing they needed. She bit her lip in apprehension, watching as they conversed, hoping whatever Jack was telling him was working.

Careful to keep her face averted from Mollem's line of sight, Danielle began moving toward the escalator herself. It was a risk to move now, if Mollem noticed that she was here it would certainly raise his suspicions as to why Jack O'Neill and his ex-wife were both in the Stargate terminal at the same time and seemingly unaware of that fact. Him noticing and wondering about it was the last thing they needed but nevertheless, she had to move. She had to be ready when Teal'c came through the Gate. They'd come too far to let one little snag slow them up now.

No sooner than she'd reached the bottom of the escalator than the Gate dialled through, opening the wormhole to admit the incoming travellers from Chulak. Halting before the security system, Danielle watched as Teal'c and a young Jaffa she didn't recognize stepped through the wormhole, staff weapons in hand.

As expected, the terminal agent manning the DHD stepped up, holding out a hand to stop them. "I'm sorry sir, but weapons are not allowed."

Taking her cue, Danielle stepped up through the security scanners, the alarms immediately sounding. She gave the attendant an apologetic look and laughed, lifting her case."I'm sorry, this happens every time. Archaeological equipment. You'd think after all the trips I've made through this thing they would have it fixed but..." She shrugged, keeping one eye on Teal'c as he moved down the Stargate steps, pretending to have trouble with the briefcase's lock so as to give Teal'c the time he needed.

"We carry these for ceremonial purposes only." The Jaffa was saying as he advanced toward the dialer.

The tall man shook his head. "I'm sorry, sir, but you'll have to let me have it."

Danielle couldn't suppress a morbid chuckle at his choice of words. If he only knew. Popping the case, she gave the attendant watching her a bright smile. "Got it!"

He smiled back at her as, behind his back, Teal'c said, "Very well," and fired the staff weapon.

Shocked, the attendant turned to confront the Jaffa but he never got the chance as Danielle pulled a Zat from the briefcase and shot him. She turned to look at Teal'c who nodded and headed for the DHD, dialling the coordinates he'd been given while the alarms sounding a terrorist attack began to blare. The sound of another Zat firing got Danielle's attention and she looked up to see Mollem tumble to the ground as Jack went into action. Lifting the piton gun from his bag, he fired it, sending a line across the embarkation area, directly over the Gate. That done, he tossed it aside and grabbed for the large bag he'd brought with him.

The automated defence system began firing at Teal'c and he looked over his shoulder. "Danielle Jackson, you must take cover!"

She nodded and dove behind the security scanners, using her position to fire at the automated weapons mounted on the wall. Teal'c paused to take out several with his staff weapon, the pulses shattering the innocuous looking devices. The young Jaffa warrior that had come with Teal'c was doing the same but, as he was less protected than his compatriot or Danielle, he quickly succumbed to the tiny needle-like charges and tumbled down the ramp.

Danielle kept firing at the weapons while trying to track Jack's progress. As yet unnoticed by the automated defences, he strapped the GDO on his wrist then hooked himself up to the piton line, jumping from the upper level, he held on as he raced toward the active Stargate.

Teal'c continued to fire at the weapons, some of which were now firing at Jack as well, but he'd taken too many hits and was beginning to falter. The Zat wasn't much help but Danielle kept firing, watching helplessly as Teal'c fell to his knees then slumped to the ground. Dead.

Not having time to mourn, she turned her attention to Jack. Watching him lose his grip on the line and tumble to the floor. She tensed, watching the weapons concentrate their fire on him, and tried to take some them out to cover him but there were too many. Jack, the note and locket clutched in one hand, managed to make it halfway up the stairs before falling, unable to continue.

"_NO_!" Breaking cover, she leapt up onto the ramp, trying to reach him even as sharp pains told her she was now the weapons' target of choice.

"Danielle," Jack managed faintly, pushing the locket and note at her.

Sobbing, she took them but knew it was too late for her to do anything with them. Even with the shorter distance to travel, she'd already taken too many hits from the system and her strength was leaving her. She tried to throw the note and locket at the Gate but they slipped from her numbing fingers and fell, landing on the top step.

Danielle tried to launch herself forward to reach them but it was no use. She tumbled to the steps next to Jack, her dying body rolling to rest against his.

Behind her, she dimly heard the sound of running feet and a voice yelling Sam's name but she was beyond caring anymore. With the last of her strength, she turned her head to meet her husband's eyes.

"I'm sorry," Jack managed to say, growing weaker with every word.

She smiled, her life slipping away. "I'm not."

"Love -- "

Jack died before being able to finish his sentence but Danielle got the message. With her last breath, she finished it for him. "---You."

-__

2000

"Don't you have your own office?" Jack groused, walking into his office to find Danielle curled up in one of the chairs, a book in her lap and a mug in her hand.

"Mmhm," she responded absently, turning a page. "I like this chair." Peering over her glasses at him, she grinned. "Company's not bad either."

"Uh huh."

"Let me guess. Time to type up a mission report?"

"How can you tell?"

"You have the 'I have to touch a computer and I hate the damn things' brow wrinkle going on." Danielle grinned again. "It's the same one you always get."

"I'm that predictable, huh?" Jack asked, a tolerantly amused look in his eyes.

"Mm, yup."

The off-world activation alarm sounded and both of them were back on their feet before they'd even thought about it.

"Do we have any teams off-world?"

Jack shook his head. "Nope. SG2 was out, but they came back early this morning."

"Uh oh." Abandoning her coffee and her reading, Danielle followed Jack out of his office and they headed for the control room at a run, meeting up with Sam and Teal'c on the way. All arriving just in time to see Janet Frasier and General Hammond give each other a perplexed look.

"Company?" Jack asked as his team fell into place behind him.

"You, actually," Hammond said.

"Excuse me?" Danielle's brows rose. "What?"

"We're receiving SG1's IDC code, Doctor," Walter explained, turning to look at her.

"Hello, how's that now?" Jack exhaled in surprise.

"I don't know, but we're going to find out," Hammond turned. "Defense teams stand by, open the iris!"

The iris cycled open, but no one came through. No living person. A moment later, however, a piece of paper and a locket fell out onto the ramp.

"Huh," Jack looked at Danielle. "Feel like takin' a looksee?"

"Sure why not?" she responded, leading the way down the stairs.

Jack reached the objects before she, or the others, did and picked them up. The locket caught his attention and he held it up toward the light. "Danielle, this looks like yours."

"What?"

Walking back down the ramp, he handed it to her then unfolded the note, reading it.

"You're right," she said, after examining it carefully. "It is mine."

"Care to explain, Doctor Jackson?" General Hammond asked, watching her.

"The locket was my grandmother's." Danielle turned it over. "It's inscribed with her initials." She pointed at the elegant DJ inscribed into the silver. "She gave it to me when my parents named me after her." She looked at Jack. "What did the note say?"

"You tell me," sitting on the edge of the ramp, he held it out and waited for her reaction.

"Under no circumstances go to P4C 970 - Colonel Jack O'Neill." She looked up at him in surprise. "This is your handwriting."

"It is my handwriting," he said, "and that is my signature."

"Though you have written no such note?" Teal'c interjected.

"Can't say as I have," Jack said, shrugging.

Seeing the stains on the paper, Janet held out a hand, "Danielle? May I see that?"

Her attention refocused on the locket, Danielle passed the note over to Janet.

After a moment's examination, Frasier looked at General Hammond. "That looks like blood, sir."

"Have it analyzed."

"Yes sir," she said and rushed from the room, paper in hand.

"If I remember correctly, General, wasn't 970 on our mission list?"

"It was," Hammond affirmed. "It's not anymore. If we're reading this correctly, something happened on that mission bad enough that you would risk your lives, possibly sacrificed your lives, to prevent. I'm not in any hurry to find out just what that was." He turned to look up at the control room, raising his voice so Walter could hear him. "I want P4C 970 removed from the dialling computer immediately. Dismissed."

"I wonder why you sent it," Sam wondered as Hammond left the room.

"I wonder _when_," Danielle murmured, her attention still focused on the locket.

"Yeah," Jack agreed, watching the awed expression on Danielle's face as she opened the locket to look at the pictures inside."You gotta wonder."

"Danielle?" Seeing the look on her friend's face, Sam took a step forward only to have Danielle back up a step, immediately closing the locket. "What's inside the locket?"

"F...Family photos." Danielle responded, stumbling over the words as she passed the locket back to Jack and then turned, lifting her hair.

He stood and stepped down onto ground level, draping the locket around her neck and fastening the clasp for her. "Done."

She turned to smile at him. "Thank you." Stepping away, she pointed in the direction of the door. "I think I'm gonna go haunt the infirmary, see what Janet can tell us about the note."

"Sounds like a plan." Jack agreed, falling into step with her. "Think I'll come with."

"You don't have to." She hedged as they passed a couple of airmen.

"Eh, I'm avoiding that mission report, remember?" Stopping at the elevator, Jack stepped back to let her go first. "Besides, I'm a little curious about something."

"And what would that be?" She asked with a curious look.

He reached out, cradling the locket in his palm, knuckles brushing against her uniform. "Whatever's in here that's got you so rattled."

She closed her hand over the locket, trapping his hand. "Nothing really. Like I said, just family photos."

"Danielle," Jack said, more patient than he felt. "If that's what it was, you wouldn't be trying to keep people from seeing it." Stepping closer, he cornered her and pulled her hand free.

"I sent this locket, Jack," she said softly. "That's the only way it would have gotten back here. I don't wear it to work because I'm afraid I'll lose it on a mission. The locket's the one thing I have of my grandmother's and it means everything to me..."

His eyes on hers, Jack opened the locket. Looking down, he found himself staring at two pictures. "Well now."

"Jack -- "

"That's us," he said, reverently, eyes focused on the picture of himself with an infant in his arms, a smiling Danielle leaning over his shoulder. "Us and..."

"What looks like our child," she agreed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Cute kid."

"Beautiful."

Jack closed the locket, letting the chain settle against her neck again. "Better hang on to that." He quirked a smile at her. "Looks like you might have died to protect it."

"Die for a locket?" Danielle shook her head. "No. I love it, but I wouldn't die for it." She was silent for a long time then, just as the elevator doors slid open, she looked back at him. "Just the people in it."

The doors slid shut on his smile.


End file.
